Semua Bab In love with my step-son : Bab 1 - Bab 10

The clock struck midnight, and the air buzzed with the soft, sweet scent of roses wafting through my open window. Valentine's Day. Lovers’ Day. A day meant for chocolates, kisses, and promises whispered in candlelight. A day that should’ve felt special—romantic, even. But instead, I was alone in my apartment, sitting on the edge of my bed, staring at the quiet screen of my phone.Daniel, my boyfriend, was miles away. He had some emergency with work—again. I told myself it was fine, that we’d make it up to each other next week. But the truth was, deep down, I was disappointed. We’d been planning this day for months. I had imagined him showing up with flowers and a cheeky smile. I had imagined dinner, laughter, dancing.But none of that was going to happen.I had promised Jennifer, my best friend, that I’d stay in and just take it easy. Her words echoed in my head: “No pity party, Celine. Just wine, movies, and sleep.” It sounded like a plan at first—until the loneliness started to cree

A sharp rap at my door startled me awake, but before that sound could fully pull me from the fog of sleep, let me tell you how my world unraveled.The weight of betrayal clawed at my chest as I stared at my phone, its screen cold and lifeless. No calls. No messages. No sign of Daniel. My hands trembled as I redialed his number for what felt like the hundredth time, but again, all I got was the same dead silence followed by that mechanical voice: “The number you have dialed is not reachable at the moment…”I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to fight back the panic rising in my chest. My heart pounded louder with each failed attempt. I needed to talk to him. I needed to hear his voice. We were supposed to run away together, to leave all this behind and start fresh—just the two of us. But he was gone.I tossed the phone onto the bed and stood there, lost in a storm of thoughts. My mind spun in circles. Was he okay? Had something happened to him? Was he hurt?But a colder, darker question cr

The morning sun streamed gently through the curtains, casting golden lines across the dining room floor. The air was still, but inside me, a storm raged. I took a deep breath as I walked in and slid into my usual seat. The clinking of cutlery and the faint scent of toast and eggs should’ve felt normal, comforting even—but nothing about this morning was normal.Jackson was already there.He didn’t speak. His eyes met mine the second I sat down, and for a moment, everything else disappeared. His gaze wasn’t casual—it was direct, intense, and bold, like he was seeing every secret I tried to hide. My heart skipped a beat, heat blooming in my chest as his stare lingered. I quickly looked away, pretending to focus on my coffee, but my hands were trembling.I lifted the cup to my lips, and nearly choked on the hot liquid. Jackson didn’t look away. He watched me, quietly, calmly, like he was daring me to remember what we’d done. What we shouldn’t have done. The kiss. That kiss.The dining roo

The air in the house was thick—so heavy that every breath felt like swallowing silence. Not the peaceful kind of silence, but the kind that crackled with unspoken words, buried emotions, and glances that said too much.I stepped out of Derrick’s room, my stomach still holding the faint taste of the breakfast we’d shared—toast, eggs, and coffee. It should have been a normal morning. It should have felt like a step in the right direction, a small piece of progress in a marriage I was trying so hard to salvage.But I felt it before I saw it—those eyes. Jackson’s.He was standing down the hallway, leaning against the wall like he’d been waiting. Watching.His eyes met mine, and the moment they did, it felt like I’d been caught in something shameful. My pulse stumbled in my throat, and I had to force my legs to move, to walk past him without pausing. Without giving in.I had no reason to feel guilty. No reason at all.But the weight of his stare followed me like a shadow.Later, I stood un

I woke up to the soft pressure of lips against mine, a lingering warmth that sent a shiver down my spine. My eyes fluttered open, the early morning light spilling into the room through the sheer curtains. The scent of coffee and something sweet hung in the air, warm and inviting.“Sleeping beauty,” Derick whispered with a soft chuckle, his voice low and full of amusement.I blinked up at him, still half-lost in sleep. His face was close—too close. His dark eyes were gentle today, filled with something that looked like affection. There was a smile tugging at his lips, not the smug or arrogant one I had seen so often when we first met, but a soft, sincere one.I stretched lazily beneath the sheets, my muscles still relaxed from sleep. Then I noticed the tray beside me—golden pancakes stacked high, eggs perfectly scrambled, and a steaming cup of coffee placed just the way I liked it.“You did this?” I asked, my voice still husky, half in disbelief.He nodded, sitting at the edge of the b